I woke up this morning and told myself, “Jon, you are not going to write about Nail Yakupov’s goal celebration today.” And then, of course, this being a hockey-mad city and major Canadian media center, nearly every locker room scrum I was in contained multiple angles and questions centered around the celebration. So here we are. I see no problem with how Yakupov, a 19-year-old teenager, decided to celebrate his second professional goal and one that tied the game at home with five seconds remaining in regulation. It’s why EA Sports’ NHL series has the post-goal celebration button that allows you to slide on your knees on the ice after scoring: what would hockey be without passion?
Stir me if he decides to celebrate like that tonight. This only becomes an issue if he shows a penchant for continually showing his opponents up, which he has hasn’t done. Hit the jump for some interesting takes.
Kings Head Coach Darryl Sutter, on whether the celebration “a big deal”:
“If you score, you get the right to celebrate. If you don’t, you don’t.”
Oilers Head Coach Ralph Kruger, on if he would be angry if he was on the other bench:
“Not at all. I don’t think it’s a factor at all. I think they don’t like where they are in the standings. I don’t think they liked what happened in the Chicago game. That’s what I would be angry about, and I’m sure they are too. Our game against them here was just a real special hockey game with the exuberance of a young player celebrating something very special happening in his life. That was all that was, and I don’t think there was anybody in that L.A. Kings room feeling any anger towards that kid. I really don’t. I don’t think it’s a factor. I think it’s more of where they are right now in their season. We have to be aware [of] how great that team is and how dangerous they can be in this situation.”
Jarret Stoll, on the celebration:
“It was a big goal for him. He got those two points out of the deal. He’s an exciting player, loves to score goals. That’s all I’ll say about it. We’re focusing on tonight’s game, and what happened last game is obviously out of the memory.”
Drew Doughty, on whether the celebration was really “an issue”:
“I don’t know if it’s an issue. Obviously, being on the opposing team, you don’t want to see a guy celebrate right in front of your bench down the ice like that. But, you know, whatever. It’s in the past now. I’m sure no one’s going to be soft on him, that’s for sure, after doing that. We’re going to play him hard and make clean hits. It’s in the past now, and we’d like to get back.”
Coach Kruger is exactly right – that celebration from a month ago is the last thing the Kings should be concerned about right now.
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Love Sutter’s comment, as always.
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I think Brown should hammer that nail into the boards tonite,and
that will put this to rest. it might light a fire under our butts
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FKA PakiFro Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 2:36 pm
@tory17,
Brown hammering ANYONE would do that. He just hasn’t been the same. In the past, even if he wasn’t scoring points, he was at least hammering people. If he picks up the physicality, I’m sure others will be inspired.
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Mars Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 2:50 pm
@FKA PakiFro, Agree, Browns hits really energize the entire team.
Quite honestly, the Kings look sto TRY to be playing a finesse game. Its not working.
The Kings succeeded with a physical game, back check, forecheck hip check, strong puck pressure. I get where they are trying to go, but they can work up to it and not just flip the switch.
BROWN HIT EVERYONE, not just this game, ALL GAMES!!
Hell even in practise.
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Forum Gold Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 2:51 pm
@FKA PakiFro, And this is the finesse team that needs to be hit if we want to get our 2 points. GO KINGS GO!!!
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No more woulda, shoulda, coulda..just get it done.
Start playing like you have something to defend.
Still Stanley Cup Champions..
GO KINGS!
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what is all about? When did it happen and is there a link to it?
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kissmyblarneystones Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 3:43 pm
@pr0cess,
Your kidding, right?
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That celebration is the least of the Kings’ worries at this point.
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If I am 19, and score a tying goal in final seconds, I would do the same. Is it a big deal? Really need to keep talking about this?
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kissmyblarneystones Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 3:44 pm
@zdfun,
live by the sword……….
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Duncanz Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 6:09 pm
@kissmybuffetstints, …….. die by the smorgasbord.
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Best way to get over the celebration is to win.
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I dont think anyone cares, if anything the JMFJ tebow was worse and we deserved it cause of him.
That said, glad we beat the CBJ’s even if we played like crap.
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I can’t believe this is even a topic; he scored, celebrated, end of discussion. It was a non-event.
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Even after following this team since 1969, no matter how we are doing I still get so up for game day. GO KINGS GO!!!
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ItsAKingThing Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 3:00 pm
@Forum Gold, +1 Reality check. We all still love this team. Go Kings!
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Yakupov will get a hatrick and we’ll see the cele again.
Why? Because Quick is starting over Bernier.
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CB14 Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 3:11 pm
@Paul, Couldn’t disagree more.
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fsd1 Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 3:11 pm
@Paul, trade the freaking bum.
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Duncanz Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 3:13 pm
@Paul, Meanwhile Khabibulin always gives you a chance of potting 4 at the other end.
Decent of them to match us tonight with their no. 2 also, don’t you think?
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I wouldn’t be surprised if a few extra elbows were thrown Yakupov’s way.
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As promised, @Jon, ‘interesting’ takes.
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Please dont take the “Fun” out of Hockey. Brown did the Tebow last season….Bernie N. had his thing….Win and then you dont have to worry about bad calls and celebrations from the other team…outside distaractions….
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Shakes Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 3:16 pm
@Neil, that’s my take… i like seeing people get excited. at the end of the day isn’t it refreshing to see players as excited as fans once in a while? plus it’s not like he did that in the 2nd period or something… it was a terrific show of skill at the right time of the game. good for him.
guys celebrating goals: that seems like a high quality problem that i wish the Kings had.
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CB14 Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 3:38 pm
@Neil, JJ did the Tebow, not Brown.
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kissmyblarneystones Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 3:48 pm
@CB14,
Brown did the ‘elbow’.
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neil Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 3:54 pm
@kissmyblarneystones, thanks for the help….duncanz destroyed my memory…
At least it wasn’t a crotch grab directed right at the bench……that’s what I’d do in response if I were DD. He’s already grabbed Stollies!
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Duncanz Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 3:40 pm
@Dominuck, You spend all your time hanging out around the smart money blogs, and then you come back and hit us with this?
Anyway, everyone knows DD’s celebration last season received a deserved ‘minus’ whereas Carts’ much classier job on VV after his 1st goal in St Louis last week made him clear leader in Kings’ ‘Gloves Against Average’!
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When you win you have the right to celebrate! Someone should send him a picture from last June, gathered around the cup. That is how to celebrate!!!
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This isn’t the NBA full of show-boaters so I had a problem with that celebration. In sports, I was always taught to act like you’ve done it before – be professional. Sliding halfway across the ice on my knees in an early regular season game would have never happened. Grow up, child’s play.
I hope someone catches him with his head down tonight.
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Choralone Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 3:34 pm
@CMP, You said “child’s play.” Well, Yakupov is a teenager. He scored an exciting goal in front of his home crowd in his 3rd ever NHL game. I don’t think he deserves to be physically battered because the Kings’ egos got bruised. They should have shown up this season in shape and ready to defend their title if they didn’t want to feel foolish.
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kissmyblarneystones Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 3:51 pm
@RCMP,
Homer.
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neil Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 3:56 pm
@CMP, act like you done it before…….he hasn’t…..tie a game up with seconds remaining
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blahblah Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 6:14 pm
@CMP, That’s a bit hypocritical of you. First you say how you were taught about being a good sportsman and staying professional, then in the following sentence you say you want him to get caught with his head down? Why would you want him to get caught with his head down? You would enjoy watching a hockey player get carried off the ice on a stretcher? Doesn’t sound very sportsmanlike to me.
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I think that Bernier will start tonight at Edmonton and Tomorrow at Calgary and Quick will start in Goal On Saturday so what do you think
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fsd1 Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 3:19 pm
@Adam M, I thnk you are wrong
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Duncanz Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 3:21 pm
@Adam M, I think the newswire to @Adams M’s place has been chewed through by mice.
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puck73 Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 3:29 pm
@Adam M, Memo to Rich Hammond: This was funny a long time ago, not so much anymore.
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tornado12 Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 4:17 pm
@puck73, you are determined to out Rich arent you?
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tory17 Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 3:39 pm
@Adam M,
I think you’re high, Quick tonite, JB tomorrow
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jess Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 3:42 pm
@Adam M,
Haha
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kissmyblarneystones Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 3:54 pm
@Adam M,
Dont mind them Adam M, you just keep going in the direction your headed in. Eff the begrudgers I say.
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Sutter is the Yogi Berra of hockey, except that in addition to being a character, he’s also a good coach.
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Duncanz Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 3:24 pm
@Schlock, Coaching is driver driven, that’s for sure!
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kissmyblarneystones Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 3:56 pm
@shlong,
Agree.
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Forum Gold Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 4:00 pm
@Schlock, I’m sure DS will someday say hockey is 90% mental and 50% skill. GO KINGS GO!!!
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bbb7 Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 5:42 pm
@Schlock, This ain’t baseball! And… nobody died.
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All I can say right now is “Thank God for Columbus”. We’d be in last place without them. And we wouldn’t have won the Cup without them trading Carter to us last season. Columbus may just be my second favorite team right now. Too bad they lost to the Quacks last night.
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I could really care less about the celebrtion and feel the same way as Sutter… “If you score, you get the right to celebrate. If you don’t, you don’t.”
What I dont like is people hoping he gets hurt or guys take a run at him for it. Thats just plain classless and I would hope no one would wish ill will on anyone for any reason related to Hockey.
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puck73 Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 3:30 pm
@BrokeKingsFan, Agreed. Its human nature to concentrate on stupid stuff when your losing.
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Gustavo Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 5:52 pm
@BrokeKingsFan,
Don’t be a hypocrite. Would you also like hitting being removed from the sport?
Do you want DL to trade Dustin Brown if he ever delivers a game ending hit to anyone?
I most certainly do not. Hit them hard! Hit them often! Hit them legally within the game guidelines…BUT HIT THEM, DAMN IT!!
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BrokeKingsFan Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 10:45 am
@Gustavo, read the post before you call me a hypocrite… your way off base with your reply. All I was saying is its wrong to wish injury on a player regardless of circumstance, especially due to a goal celebratrion. If Brown head hunted him and hurt him intentionaly due to a goal celebration than I would loose all respect for the guy and could care less and would even support trading his ass…hands down no questions about it!
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Agreed. The comment above about hoping he gets hit with his head down falls into this category. People tend to get pretty messed up when that happens (see Landeskog). A MUCH better way to retaliate is to light up Khabi like a pinball machine.
GKG
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MickSorley Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 3:39 pm
@MickSorley, One of these days I’ll learn to reply to the proper comment.
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kissmyblarneystones Reply:
February 19th, 2013 at 3:59 pm
@MickSorley,
What? And confuse everyone?
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if you don’t like the celebration, don’t let him score. just like if you don’t like someone else running the score on you, don’t let them.
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I hate to say it, but after posts like this, I’m really starting to miss Rich Hammond.
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Like I said earlier….NAIL YAKUPOF!!
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